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Add one or a few quotations to your presentation to make it more entertaining and insightful. Your quotation might spur your listeners to think or laugh. Sprinkle lightly like pepper. Use a quotation that emphasizes or clarifies your message.

Here are three sources you can search for quotations:

Quote a Famous Person

This is the most common method. Be sure to quote from a person who is well known and well liked by your audience. That ensures that the quotation lends more weight to your message.

Name the person who said it. Don't pretend to be the source of that phrase and don't make your audience guess. An appropriate quotation helps you tap into the credibility of the person who first spoke that piece of wisdom. The right quotation can sound as if Einstein agrees with you.

Avoid the overused quotes. Instead, search for a quotation that is not well known.

"I went to the gym on the days that I felt like it and I went to the gym on the days that I didn't feel like it." Muhammad Ali

Quote a Client, Colleague or Industry Expert

Another source of valuable quotations could be your clients - especially if you are talking to your staff or company colleagues. You could use praise or complaints.

The company or association founder can be a source of colorful insights. A little research can lead you to simple words from the guy on the loading dock.

"We hurry to ship it out and it comes back on the next truck. Why not get it right the first time?" Truck Driver

The Twist

A third variation is to take a common phrase or quotation and twist it. This technique can add an engaging element of surprise and humor to what might have been a dull presentation

"He who laughs - lasts."

Children will offer you useful twists as they rephrase the words they hear and describe the world as they see it.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some email." 4 year old girl

How to Deliver the Quotation

Pause just before you deliver the line and just after. While you are stating the quotation, shift your stance so you look slightly different and alter your voice a bit. All those changes help to position the quotation as originating from someone else. Then resume your previous stance and voice to demonstrate that you are back to your own words.

One or a few powerful quotations can make your presentation more engaging, insightful and memorable.

If you were ever nervous about public speaking, you might have heard that piece of tired advice. It’s bad advice. Ignore it.

Do you really want to be imagining your boss, clients or colleagues in their underwear while you are speaking? Depending on your imagination and familiarity with your audience that might make you giggle uncontrollably. Or you might become so distracted that you forget your speech.

That advice is probably based on one aspect of the fear of public speaking. That is the fear that the audience can see you naked. In this case the naked doesn’t mean without clothes. The fear is that the audience can see your thoughts – especially your fears, doubts and faults. That implies that your audience is more powerful than you – that they have superhuman powers like x-ray vision and mind reading.

The reality is that no one can read your mind. If we could there would be far less miscommunication between people. The problem with communication is that we can’t read minds. Instead we attempt to interpret the words, sounds and images that we observe.

Therein lies your answer. The better that you manage the words, sounds and images that your audience observes the more control you will have over your presentations results. That control starts with your perspective.

Don’t picture your audience in their underwear. And don’t picture them naked. That’s another old snake oil remedy. Can you imagine your convulsive laughter or primal urges destroying your presentation?

That’s not the way to tame the fear of public speaking or deliver an effective presentation.

Instead, picture your audience as equals. You are good at what you do and they are good at what they do. You offer value and so do they. It’s not about who has or makes more money. It’s not about job titles, age or corporate hierarchy. It’s about you having a conversation with a room full of equals. That’s one of the secrets of overcoming speech anxiety – make it feel like a conversation.

Seeing and treating people like equals is an important fundamental shift in your perspective as an effective public speaker. Don’t look down or up to your audience. They aren’t better than you and you aren’t better than they are. You are simply taking your turn as an equal to offer your message. They can’t see you naked and you don’t want to imagine them that way.

Don’t fear your audience. Don’t see them with superhuman powers. And don’t imagine them in their underwear or less. Effective public speaking is not about undressing anyone. Deliver your presentation as a conversation with a group of equals.

Body language is important to your presentation because your audience tends to put more belief in what they see versus what they hear - especially when there is a conflict between the two.

If you want your message to be believed then ensure that your body language is supporting your words.

The message of your body language is in the minds of your audience. It is based on their cultural norms and interpretations. That means that everybody might not see you the same way. You need to understand the cultural norms of your audience.

Body language is easier to notice when it's not working.

Imagine if you:

•Tell someone special that you love them with a scowl on your face.•Tell an audience to vote for you while you are slouched over.•Tell a client that they can trust you while you back away from them.

Notice the inconsistencies. Your audience will believe what they see and ignore the words.

The 3 main factors of body language

Face

Your audience spends most of the time looking at your face. Why? Because that is the body part that is most interesting and conveys the most emotion. The two most important points of attention are your eyes and lips.

Your audience wants to see your face. Ensure that they can clearly see it. Stand in the light. Stand where your face can be seen. Don't let hair block your eyes.

Hands

Show your hands and we will trust you more. If you hide them we might question your intentions. Don't hide your hands behind your back or in your pockets. Our brain will wonder what you might be hiding from us.

Movement

How you move says a lot about your state of mind. If you are agitated or nervous you will move rapidly and erratically.

Move slowly and purposefully to convey more confidence.

Your body is always leaking messages. Are you clear on what it is saying? Are you in control?

Are you running for election? Congratulations to you on your initiative.

As a candidate for political office you need to do your homework and prepare. Learn the issues, take a position and build a network. One more thing – learn how to present your message well. And do it better than the competition.

The mayoral candidates spoke at a community meeting. Four of the five candidates attended. They were each allowed an opening and closing statement. In between they were asked to answer several written questions from the audience. The candidates were allowed up to 90 seconds for each answer.

As a professional speaker and executive speech coach I was under impressed by the candidates. But I was not surprised by the lack of presentation prowess. It would be so easy for political candidates to improve their presentations skills. Why do they neglect such a powerful tool of persuasion and success?

Let’s be clear. The purpose of these community meetings is to demonstrate that the candidates understand the key issues of the audience and that they can do something about it.

Here are my presentation tips for these mayoral candidates in particular and all political hopefuls in general.

Learn How to Use MicrophonesThe first speaker tested his microphone by blowing on it before he spoke. That is both annoying and unprofessional. The best way to test a microphone is to speak. Don’t say “TEST, TEST” or “Is this thing on?” Just speak normally.

First be HumanOnly one speaker (the incumbent) thanked the organizers and complimented the other candidates in the room. That’s a sign of experience, confidence and compassion.

Talk to the Audience, Not your NotesOne speaker seemed to read everything he said – his opening and closing and even the answers to questions. In between he was busily scribbling notes while the other speakers spoke. He clearly was not in the room. He might be a good back room researcher and thinker but not a leader.

Don’t Look AngryOne candidate displayed his anger a few times. He also complained that current council had been divisive. He promised to correct that by forcing them to be more efficient. How? By getting angry at them?

Focus on What’s RelevantThis same angry candidate included a rant about federal politics – on a totally unrelated issue. He went so far as to encourage the audience to contact a local MP about his pet federal issue. What does that have to do with this municipal election? Do you want to be mayor or do you just want to rant?

ConcludeNinety seconds might sound like a short time to speak but successful politicians need to speak in sound bytes which can be 5 to 30 seconds. For this program they received signals from the timer at 60, 30 and 10 seconds – yet they missed the opportunity to conclude. Most of the time the speakers trailed off and sometimes they ended so meekly that we wondered if they were done speaking. Conclude every mini speech and end strong.

SmileA smile indicates confidence, warmth and trust. Why didn’t these candidates smile more? Every mini speech should have ended with a smile and steady gaze at the audience. Instead they frowned, looked down and glanced sideways at the MC. No one looked happy with their message. The sound in the room was bad. Just imagine that no one understood the words spoken and saw only the speaker. If you looked up at the speaker at the end of their mini speech you would have felt like it was another disappointing answer.

Make me LaughThe surest way to connect with anyone is to make them laugh. So why didn’t you make us laugh? There were a couple of weak attempts from two of the candidates during the 90-minute torture session. We don’t expect you to be Seinfeld. However, a chuckle goes a long way.

Repeat or Reframe the QuestionBy the time we heard from the third speaker the audience might have forgotten the original question. Some questions were long and multipart and some of the speakers went off on tangents. Repeating or reframing the question will remind the audience of the question and help you stay on track.

Be PreparedSome of the candidates seemed to be winging it at times. It looked as if they had never thought about or considered the questions before. Yet, none of the questions were surprises.

Yes, I know that substance counts as well as style. But when there seems to be little difference in substance we gravitate to style. Unfortunately we don’t ask our political candidates to write an exam. So we need to judge them on style because that’s all we can see.

I attended a public meeting to hear from the candidates for mayor. The sound was bad in the auditorium and none of the candidates impressed me. I labeled each of the speakers to keep it simple for me to remember. This is what I noticed and remember.

The IncumbentHe conveyed the most confidence. That comes from years of experience in politics. He knew the issues and spoke openly and clearly. He was positive. He highlighted the accomplishments of his council and was smart enough not to tangle with the red herrings that were dangled by the other candidates. Yet there was a lack of charm.

The ReaderHe read his opening and his closing statements and almost all of his answers. While the other speakers were speaking he was nervously scribbling notes. When he spoke he was reading instead of talking to the audience. He was simply reading his notes. He might be a good back room researcher but not a leader. He couldn't speak without notes.

MumblesI heard and understood less than half of what he said. He seemed to be winging it. He often looked anxiously at the MC and his statements seemed to end without conclusion. His only strengths seemed to be that he was totally inexperienced and unqualified. He seemed the least likely winner and most likely will attract the protest vote. That means people will vote for this person to waste their vote but hope that he doesn’t win. What’s in it for him – I wonder.

Mr. AngryParking, parking, parking! That seemed to be his mantra. Was that intended to help his downtown business? He encouraged the audience to call the federal MP. Why? For some private cause of his. He criticized the current council and promised to fix it by forcing them to work together. How? By getting angry at them? He refereed to himself as a business man (not a business owner) while ignoring the females in his audience. It was difficult to like this cold and angry person.

Preparing a speech can be like sculpting. You keep removing the excess clay until you have your work of art. If you want to start your presentation with a bang instead of a bust avoid these ten mistakes. These tips will show you how not to start your speech.

1. You like me, you really like meSally Fields did this when she accepted her academy award. Her gushing outburst was mocked because it seemed unprofessional. We all want to be liked but Sally pushed our puke button with her act. If they are giving you the award don’t insult them by pretending that you don’t deserve it.

2. Tell a jokeIf you have an ancient book on public speaking that tells you to start with a joke – burn it and purge anything you read from your memory. That is a terrible way to start your speech. It’s difficult to tell a joke well in front of an audience. It usually fails – a bad way to start your speech. Don’t tell jokes.

3. How is everybody today?You have probably seen the “motivational speaker” wannabe start his presentation with this question. Then he repeats the question only louder as if that means your first response was too weak. It looks, sounds and feels phony and it ticks people off – a very bad way to start your presentation.

4. I don’t know why I have been asked to speakImagine the thoughts that go through the minds of your audience when you start with this phrase. If you don’t know – why are you speaking? This is going to be a dreadful presentation. Why did I attend? How do I escape?

5. I’m really nervousIt’s okay to admit imperfection. But don’t tell your audience that you are a lousy presenter, this is your first time or that you are very nervous. That conveys lack of confidence. Often they can’t tell the state of your nerves so keep it to yourself. If you are a lousy presenter they will decide on their own soon enough. Don’t foretell your own presentation disaster.

6. I’m really not preparedHow would you feel when the speaker says this at the beginning of his speech? You might think about leaving the room, checking your email or tuning out at the least. As the presenter you want to build interest and anticipation when you start your presentation. You want your audience to perk up and think, “This could be good.”

7. I’m sorryDon’t start your presentation with an apology. I’m sorry for starting late. I’m sorry that the coffee was cold. I’m sorry that the real speaker couldn’t be here. What a depressing way to start a speech.

8. I’m perfect you’re notYour introduction said flattering things about you to build your credibility with the audience. But you must not start your presentation appearing to be perfect. You need to build rapport and one way to do that is by revealing a human flaw, admitting an embarrassing mistake or voicing your own dilemma.

9. CriticizeMaybe the introducer messed up your introduction. Perhaps the conference appeared badly organized. Maybe the venue screwed up the registration and the meal. The speaker before you might have chewed into your presentation time. Don’t criticize. If you do that, the audience will tune you out. If any of those things happened you must capture their attention by taking the higher road. Offer them hope. Show them your insights to a better way.

10. Kissing upYou are the most beautiful audience to which I have ever spoken to. Yuk! You can compliment your audience but make it appropriate, sincere and factual. False flattery stinks of snake oil.

Improve the start of your presentation by avoiding these 10 errors so you can start your speech in the right direction. You and your audience will be amazed at the difference.